Can-opener



(No Model.)

J. GREENWOOD.

(JAN OPENER. 1

No. 299,379. Patented May 27, 1884.

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JEREMIAH GREENWOOD, OF FITOHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,379, dated May 27, 1884.

Application filed February 16, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH GREENWOOD, of Fitchburg, in the county of WVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stationary Can-Openers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved can-opener secured to a counter. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the opposite side, showing the slot. Fig. 3 is a detail of the concave knife and guide.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Myinvention consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the enact manner in which I have carried it out. V

In the said drawings, A represents an ordinary counter or shelf, on which is firmly secured by bolts or screws the frame B, consisting, preferably, of a solid casting having the flanges b 6, within which is held a vertical sliding bar, 0, having teeth formed thereon, for a purpose hereinafter explained. The flanges b I) act as guides for the sliding bar 0, and a slot, D, formed in the frame A, in conjunction with a projecting pin, d, formed on the sliding bar (I, always keeps the bar 0 within the flanges b b. A washer, e, and a screw or nut, f, are used to secure the pin d in the slot D. Y

On the vertical sliding bar 0, near its lower end, is rigidly secured a straightedge knife, E, set at an angle on the sliding bar, and adapted, principally, for opening cans having square corners, as shown in Fig.1 of the accompanying drawings. 7

Above the knife E, and secured to the vertical sliding bar G by a projecting lug, is a curved-edge knife, F, having a cutting-edge from 1 to 2, and provided with a curved guide, F. It will be seen from the construction of this knife F that it is used in opening round cans,

or cans in which it is desired to have a round opening, and a clean shearing cut is made by the action of the cutting-surface 1 2 of the knife F. The frame A has a projecting arm or bracket, G, in which is suitably journaled a pinion, H, having teeth adapted to engage the teeth formed on the vertical sliding bar 0.

I represents an operating-lever rigidly secured to the shaft of the pinion H.

The operation of my invention is as follows: NVhen it is desired to remove the contents of a square or round can, the lever I is raised, and this movement, with the aid of the pinion and teeth formed on the vertical sliding bar, will cause. the said bar to rise sufliciently far to allow the can to be pushed into the angle formed by the frame and flange b. The can is held in this position with one hand, while the lever I is grasped by the other hand and brought down, which will cause the pinion to force the sliding bar carrying the knives to descend, and when the point of the knife comes into contact with the can it is immediately forced into the can, and the continued descent of the sliding bar causes the knife to cut an opening the entire length of one side of a square can, when the downward movement of the sliding bar is arrested by the pin having reached the end of the slot. The lever is then raised and the knife released from the can, when the can is turned and another surface presented to the action of the knife,when the same operation is repeated until the top is wholly or partly severed from the body of the can, as the circumstances may require, the width of the portion to be out being controlled by the depth of the flanges. For round cans a similar operation is required, except that the can is turned by hand in the usual manner.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the frame A, having flanges b and a slot, D, the vertical toothed bar 0, provided with the knife F and guard F, and the means herein described for operating the said bar, consisting of the toothed wheel H and lever I, all constructed to operate substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. In a cauopener, the frame A, provided extension, G, in which is journaled a shaft on which is mounted the toothed wheel H and lever I, in combination with the bar 0, constructed as shown, a pin, d, knives E or F, and a guard, F, all constructed to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a can-opener, the knife E, rigidly sel with a slot, D, and flanges b, and having an l cured to the side of a toothed bar and set at an angle thereto, the said bar having a vertical movement between flanges formed on an upright frame by means of a toothed wheel, H,

mounted as described, and a lever, I, all eon- JEREMIAH GREENWOOD.

Witnesses:

RAYMOND J. PARKER, J GEN B. F. GAY, EUGENE RONCARTI, CHAS. S. HAYDEN. 

